


Camellia

by NighttimePhilosopher



Series: Amedotweek 2018 [1]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: (for the title), (past) - Freeform, Amedotweek2018, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, F/F, Flowers, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Language of Flowers, blushythyst, i really didn't mean for it to get angsty i just have feelings okay, not really much to do with flowers sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-17 07:26:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14183919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NighttimePhilosopher/pseuds/NighttimePhilosopher
Summary: Amedotweek 2018 Day 1 - FlowersAmethyst and Peridot chill under the tree at the Barn except there's no Barn.





	Camellia

**Author's Note:**

> Pink Camellia – A symbolic flower for longing.

“Sooo, what’s _this_ lil’ guy?”

Peridot’s eyes slid to an image of a strange, furred plant on the tablet that Amethyst presented before returning her focus on her work.

“That particular flora is of the _Anigozanthos_ genus, a ‘Kangaroo paw’, if you will. I don’t understand why humans call it that though.”

“ _Kangaroo_ paw? I feel like it’d try to kick you if you went to touch it.” Amethyst set the tablet on the ground before sliding down to lay on her side in the grass, lifting her hand to poke Peridot’s thigh with a chubby finger. “Boop.”

 “Sadly, that type of flora is not sensitive nor receptive to touch. However,” Peridot set down her handcrafted plant pot to quickly snatch her device, searching as an idea sprang to her. “This one, given the chance, will eat your touch stumps _right off!_ Crunch crunch!”

An image of a Venus fly trap closing on a fly flashed up on Peridot’s tablet. Amethyst let out a bubbly snicker as Peridot made grabbing motions with her little hands. “Heheh, that’s the best one.”

“We should plant it next! Enough of them will undoubtedly form an impenetrable defence against those irritating buzzing creatures that plague Steven’s house during summer!”

“Heh, you mean flies? Or you?” Amethyst teased. She pinched her round nose, taking on a nasally tone. “Nyehehe!! Clods clods clods!” She poked Peridot’s arm. “Pew pew!”

“Stop that, I am _not_ irritating!” Peridot stretched out a foot to shove Amethyst with it, who rolled on her back and cackled. “I’m impressive and outstanding!”

Amethyst’s laughter died down as she instead focused on the branches that stretched out above them, and the deep green leaves that shaded her from the dying rays of the sun. She felt like that there should be more shadows, the feeling probably explainable by the absence of the barn. Too lazy to turn around, she observed the empty space upside-down, watching birds fly over the abnormal crater in the dirt. It was…strange, at the least.

So many things had happened in that barn in such a short amount of time. The drill came together there, Steven and Peridot dug down to make contact with the Cluster, Greg had an angry cousin over, and it had become Peridot and Lapis’ refuge.

It was where she and Peridot had evolved from enemies to friends, Amethyst recalled. Where they’d overcome their differences and prickly beginning, forced to work together for mutual survival. Where she’d laid down her whip and picked up a hammer, where Peridot’s hackles had lowered and where her compassion had bloomed from an untapped seedling. It was where Peridot had saved her from a nasty end with the runaway drill head, and where they began to laugh _with_ each other, not _at_ each other. Peridot had learned about Earth, and Amethyst had learned about what Homeworld wanted her to be.

It was truly a special place, and even if it was gone, it didn’t change the bond they had forged there together. Nothing could. They were now friends for life, whether Peridot liked it or not. Amethyst let a lazy smile cover her face, scanning the orange evening sky for the first pinpricks of stars.

“I’m not…irritating, am I?”

Amethyst turned her head at Peridot’s subdued question, blinking. Her heart broke at the sight of Peridot’s longing stare at the barn’s crater, hunched on herself and pinching the bridge of her nose self-consciously. It looked like she was disappointed in herself, every trace of confidence wilting from her form.

Amethyst shot up, confused and surprised. “Wha? What do you—” her dark eyes narrowed in realization. “–this isn’t about _her_ , is it?”

“Strictly speaking, no, but I want to know. I don’t want to unintentionally annoy you anymore.”

Frustration burned through Amethyst’s chest, spreading as an inkdrop does in water. “Peri, no, you don’t annoy me. _Trust me_ , I’d let you know. This is all ‘causa Lapis, isn’t it?”

Peridot stayed quiet, curling tighter on herself and burying her nose in her arm.

“Dude,” Amethyst sighed, scooting closer across the dirt and grass to reach Peridot’s side. “You’re hurting and I’m right here. It’s okay if you’re not okay, y’know? You can say it.”

Peridot remained stiff and careful, with the exception of her hand, which she reached out and placed on Amethyst’s own unassuming one. The quartz experienced a rare rush of shyness, flipping over her hand to take Peridot’s in her palm regardless. “I’m…not okay.” Peridot admitted hesitantly. “Lapis took a part of me that I feel I’m never going to recover. I put too much energy and resources into someone who didn’t want them. Someone who doesn’t _need_ them.” She chuckled falsely. “I mean, obviously, if she flew everything of mine into space. Whatever I give—whatever I _gave—_ was not enough for her. She…used me.”

Amethyst couldn’t help but squeeze her hand reassuringly, sympathetically. Up until then, Peridot hadn’t let emotion show itself on her face. But at that there was a little smirk, small but true.

“And now I realise that we were contained in a bubble, out here. I felt free, but Lapis would never be safe and satisfied here, and consequently neither could I. She cannot achieve that wherever she goes. I pity her.”

“Wowie, I feel like I’m in a D&M with Steven right now dude.” Amethyst remarked, impressed at the complexity that Peridot examined her emotions with. She wasn’t exploding into a temper tantrum or breaking anything like the old Peridot would. She was reflecting, and now had plenty of time to. Amethyst just needed to be there for when Peridot’s reflection took a negative turn like it had, which she’d done before and would happily do again.

Peridot smiled shyly, resting her cheek on her arm to face Amethyst. “I’m admittedly very relieved to be accommodated by you guys again, considering what I was doing. Thank you.”

“Aww, hey, c’mon,” Amethyst flushed, scratching the back of her head, emotionally unequipped for accepting thanks. “Quit it with the emotional stuff already.”

The warmth suddenly evaporated from Peridot’s eyes and she withdrew her hand. “O-Oh, you’re right. I apologize.”

“Huh?” Amethyst quickly took Peridot’s hand before she could hide it, squeezing it. “No no, Peri I didn’t—” Peridot looked confused. “Ughh, c’mere.”

Amethyst pulled Peridot into a warm hug, making the gem gasp as she wrapped her thick arms around her smaller form protectively. Peridot eventually relaxed in her hold, returning it and resting her sharp chin on Amethyst’s bulky shoulder.

“You don’t _ever_ gotta hide how you’re feeling around me, ‘kay? Be you. The _real_ you. The Peridot that speaks her mind and makes sure everyone knows that she’s annoyed. Yell at me if I’m pissing—uhh, _ticking_ you off. Never silence yourself, ‘cause that’s not your style.”

Peridot quietly whimpered an ‘okay’, squeezing Amethyst’s plush sides tighter. The purple quartz let out a heavy sigh, petting Peridot’s back gently. “What did she _do_ to you?” she muttered to herself, quietly bristling.

They sat like that until the sun rested its head and stars littered the sky, the Milky way watching them with a million eyes. When the crescent moon blinked at them, Amethyst decided that it was time to head back to the beach house.

“C’mon, we’ve been out here too long anyway. Steven’ll worry.”

Peridot never once looked to the crater, her eyes travelling to the warp pad. “Yes, let’s go home.”

**Author's Note:**

> *closing star outro noise*
> 
> wow im really sorry i did not mean to make it that angsty. I just have Feelings about what Lapis did 'cause i've been through that crap and it felt really good to have Peridot admit that stuff, so yeah. i hope it's in-character enough.
> 
> Heya, look at me for uploading a prompt on the DAY. How good am i  
> praise me praise me
> 
> Edit: Made a smol edit. Gimme a kudos if u find it hehe :33333333333333333


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